A Lingering Shame
by KL2037
Summary: Everyone knows about the Uchiha's long history of betrayal, hate and jealousy. What about the Hyūga though? What if there was an old disgrace hiding in the darkness of their memories only to come back haunting them after years of lying dormant. When everything she's known turns out to be a lie, she makes a choice she never knew she had. AU/ Sasuhina.
1. Chapter 1

_**This is a Sasuhina fanfic... but I might change this later depending on where the story is headed. I really would appreciate it if you leave a review after reading this. It is important to get feedback in order for me to know how bad it is.**_

_**I have this story almost fully planned out. I will update as soon as I can. This is the first fic I posted here and really wanted to finish. I hope you like it.**_

_**Summary: Everyone knows about the Uchiha's long history of betrayal, hate and jealousy. What about the Hyuuga? What if there is an old disgrace hiding in the darkness of their memories only to come back haunting them after years of lying dormant.**_

_**I disclaim Naruto.**_

**_Update: Big thanks to Empyreal Phoenix for being so patient with me while beta-reading this chapter and for doing a wonderful job._**

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><p>Everything was dark in the room. She was tired; she couldn't move a finger. She could smell the rustiness of the place, and she could feel the damp floor on her cheek. She tried to move, but her body wouldn't obey. Finally, she surrendered herself to sleep and let the darkness claim her.<p>

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><p>Neji stood still. In front of his eyes lay a mass of crushed flesh and bones. The blood soaked ground, coloring the grass and the soil in smell invaded his nostrils forcefully. He relived that moment a hundred times in the second the stood there simply watching the remains. He could still hear the noises of the small rocks that rolled to the ground before a huge boulder made its entrance falling down, crushing his cousin. He could still hear the sound of her bones being grated against the hard ground. He could feel the drop of blood that hit his cheek that moment as its residual heat burned him. He could feel its heat fading away, becoming ice cold, sending a stinging sensation to his whole being. He could still see the terrified look on her face seconds before her end. He could still see her lips moving, trying to call for help, trying to cling to life. He could still hear and smell everything. It was all too real, yet too unreal.<p>

Medics rushed to the side of the lifeless mass trying to revive it, if that was possible. But he knew; he knew better. He thought it to be a joke, a really sick one. He could hear her laughing at them, because they fell for it. But Hinata wouldn't joke like this. She didn't like laughing at people. She was an honorable shinobi. She wasn't supposed to die easily. He couldn't bring himself to think that she was gone, but a logical part of his mind was slapping him with the truth, the truth that was crushed and bloody in front of him.

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><p>She could finally see some light in the room. She could see green mold growing in the gaps of the floor and the small part of the wall she could see from the corner of her eye. The smell of rust was way stronger; now that she was more aware of her surroundings. She could finally gather some strength to move, only to realize her wrists and ankles were restrained. She tried to use her chakra and fire her Byakugan. Her trial was futile. She stayed still for a while and examined her surroundings – the parts she could see. She could hear water droplets hitting the floor.<p>

When she heard faint footsteps approach where she was, she felt her heart stop for a second. She didn't know where she was. She was still disoriented. She tried to gather her wits and think as she felt on mere instinct that she was in danger. She was unable to formulate an explanation to her current state. The sound of the steps getting louder, shook her. She feared what was coming, mainly because of how helpless she currently was.

A rusty joint of what sounded like a huge heavy door creaked. Then, someone entered. He or she was walking closer and closer. Hinata winced in pain when a hand grabbed her hair, lifting her upper body. She was looking directly at the face of a woman who hid her eyes with a big hood. It was too dark to determine her features. "Hyuuga Hinata," the woman said. She had a clear voice. It was feminine, but intimidating. She lowered her voice and said, "It's nice to meet you finally!" She said in a quite voice with false joy.

Hinata could only tremble in fear and confusion. She had no idea what that implied. _'Was I kidnapped?'_ She wondered. The idea made sense seeing the unfriendly air this woman wore around her.

The woman let go of Hinata's hair causing her to hit the floor with her face. Hinata whimpered in pain and she could taste the coppery taste of blood in her mouth. She must have cut her tongue. The Woman walked away from Hinata to a small distance where Hinata couldn't see her. She sighed. "Now, now... It looks like you are too weak still. I will remove your restraints later, but you will have to behave. Please, don't be foolish and try anything. I really don't wish to kill you," she said casually, totally calm and unconcerned.

Hinata opened her mouth attempting to speak only to notice how dry her mouth was. She swallowed difficultly then tried again."W-Who are you?" Hinata said startled by how raspy her voice sounded. For a long moment, no reply came. "What do you want from me?" Hinata said in a higher voice causing her to cough sharply as she strained her stiff vocal cords."Where am I? Where are my friends? W-"

"No one will come get you," she cut Hinata off and said with finality.

"No one is looking for you. Forget about Konoha, because you're not going back."

"Y-you're lying!" Hinata wanted to shout this if her voice hadn't betrayed her. She felt pain in her dry throat. Talking felt like a hundred needles were tearing her throat apart.

The woman didn't say anything. After a moment, the woman spoke again. "They think you're dead. The sooner you accept you're not going back, the better... for you and for me," she said in calm voice that was anything but calming. "I will come back with food." She stalked to the unseen door, leaving the little Hyuuga on the floor shaking from unknown emotions. She was at lost. It all felt like a bad dream.

It only took a few minutes, after the woman left, for Hinata to understand her situation. The cloud in her mind cleared rapidly as she recalled. She had been kidnapped; she figured as much, but she couldn't determine when it happened or how. She could only vaguely remember herself in the battlefield when she was fighting alongside Neji. She couldn't remember losing consciousness or being injured. Though, she felt as if she was missing something – a memory. She tried to retrieve it, but she was only rewarded with a headache. Giving up, she tried to move from her uncomfortable position, only to fail miserably. Her body was too weak, and soon she lost consciousness again. In her dreams, she was home with her family, friends, and Naruto.

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><p>AN: please be kind and leave a comment.


	2. Chapter 2

Falling asleep was the last thing Hinata remembered after her first meeting with her captor. She woke up a while ago, but she couldn't determine how much time had passed. She could move her body more easily, but she still couldn't use her blood-limit. She moved to lean back on the wall. Her wrists and ankles were still restrained, but she could sit on her own. She could see more of the room now; it was empty and dimly lit. No windows could be found. It felt suffocating. There was only the door and oil lamps, one on each wall. The room was cold and humid and from the looks of it, it was old.

She started thinking of her home, her friends, her family and Naruto. _What were they thinking now that she was missing?Did they think she was really dead? Were they crying? Mourning her?_ _Maybe, a search group was already looking for her._ She had to escape, one way or the other.

Her thoughts were interrupted and she jumped slightly, when she heard the creaking sound of the door. She could barely see the outline of door in the dim light. She could see the woman more clearly when she approached her with a tray. She guessed it was food.

"how are you feeling?" the woman said with a fake concern. Hinata tried to glare her hardest at the woman who seemed to be unfazed.

"Who are you and what do you want?" Hinata spat. "we will get to this later" her captor said calmly as she put the tray on the floor next to Hinata.

The woman bent down to remove Hinata's restraints. moment Hinata felt her hands were freed, she tried to use her gentle fist to land as many blows on the woman as possible. She wasn't surprised when every blow was deflected nor when she was held firmly with her face against the wall.

"I told you before, Don'.Anything" she laced each word with venom then threw Hinata to the floor. She landed on her face, hitting her jaw for the second time.

" Maybe you are too stupid to realize the difference in our levels. If you wish to escape you better cooperate and then, think of a better plan" she said with no emotion. "I will not harm you unless you insist on being difficult. Now eat and we will talk later" She said and walked to the door closing it behind her.

Hinata's mind was working fast. She was analyzing her situation. No windows, meant the only way out would be the rusty door. She guessed the room must located underground or below sea level, because the pressure of the air was higher than normal. She couldn't estimate how long she had been there. The war was still ongoing when she was captured. It would have been easy for anyone to fake her death if they used one of the white creatures. They could imitate a person so perfectly, even the Byakugan couldn't tell.

She thought her captor must be working with Madara. That was a possibility but it was not the only one. Maybe, this woman took advantage of the chaos that was going on to capture her. She tried to, but couldn't remember anything besides Neji calling her name. _What happened? And why?Did this manic want the_ Byakugan? she thought. She tried to get up on her feet, but all she could do is crawl. She didn't feel pain -except her jaw- but her body was so heavy she couldn't move properly. It was as if all chakra pathways that would let her move were closed.

Hinata tried to focus but she felt faint. Her vision was becoming increasingly blurry; she was about to pass out again. Her need for food was urgent. She contemplated her options, Pass out or eat. The food could have been poisoned, but her hungry stomach pushed that idea aside. The woman was strong enough to kidnap her, fake her death and immobilize her; poisoning her seemed pathetic. _What if it wasn't poison? Maybe some drug that will make her __crazy or delusional_, she thought. But all logical thoughts were thrown out of the window at the sight and smell of food. She felt she was about to die if she didn't eat, as if she was starved for days.

She reached for the food weakly. Her hand was shaking so much it took a lot of energy to bring food to her mouth. She ate slowly and drank. Then, she passed out again.

When she woke up again, she felt the presence of another person. She tried to stand up on her feet but all she managed was to sit down. Her legs were still useless. She looked around for the woman. She spotted her sitting across the room on a chair that was not there the last time, with her legs crossed. She wasn't wearing her hood, but Hinata still couldn't make out her face. Her head was inclined, as if she was asleep. She could tell though, that she had very short hair that was of dark color. The woman, suddenly, reclined in her chair to stare at her. Hinata could finally see her face and her heart stopped when she saw it.

She was smiling sinisterly, staring into her eyes with ones that looked exactly the like hers. This woman was a Hyuuga. Hinata's shock must have been obvious as the woman's smile became a smirk and she narrowed her eyes."surprise!" the woman said.

"B-b-but how?" Hinata managed to say weakly. She knew everyone in the Hyuuga clan, every single one of them. She couldn't recall anything about a Hyuuga missing-nin, so the first thing that came to mind was that those eyes must have been stolen. Someone of her family must have died and this crazy woman stole the eyes and carried them shamelessly in her skull. Rage was building up quickly in Hinata's chest. She clenched her jaw and glared at the woman with as much loathe and disgutst as she could muster.

The woman stared at Hinata with amusement. And suddenly, she started laughing. "Were you thinking by any chance, that I killed one of your family or something?" she said amused. Hinata's glare only intensified.

" didn't you?" Hinata said in a low voice trying to keep her emotions under control.

"You might be surprised, but... I was born with these eyes. Just like you were" Hinata's eyes widened. _Was she saying the truth? Was she really a Hyuuga? It was impossible._ Hinata thought.

"Let me explain. My name is Hyuuga Hikari. I left Konoha twenty years ago. Will you be more convinced if I told you that I closed your tenketsu and that's why you can't move?".

At this point, Hinata's only narrowed. Only a Hyuuga would have the knowledge to do such thing, and the numbness in her legs was all too familiar now that she thought about it.

"why did you capture me?" Hinata inquired more calmly. The woman smirked and pretended to be thinking.

"I want to try something on you, a technique to be exact. I have been developing it for the past twenty years and I want to see if I'm the only Hyuuga that could perform it" she said casually.

"What do you mean?" Hinata asked skeptically.

"Oh? I was lonely. Don't you feel sorry for me? I've been alone for twenty years. I'm sure it will be fun" she said with a pout.

"You chose to leave Konoha. I don't know who you are and I prefer to be dead than join your scheme" Hinata said firmly with apparent rage.

The woman's expression became stern in a second and she shifted in her chair "I expected no less of Hiashi's daughter. I was going to let you go once you've learned my jutsu. You little girl, wouldn't understand of course. After all, none of you did. That is exactly why I detest the Hyuuga. You are so ignorant and arrogant, thinking that your all seeing eye could see everything when you are more blind than a bat. Look here, I can be your friend or your enemy. If you don't do as I say, well, there are thing far worse than death. We will start training tomorrow" she finished with an angry tone and stormed out of the room.

Hinata stayed there staring into space. She hadn't got many choices. She was in this woman's mercy. She had to comply or be tortured or worse. She weighed her options and thought she had no choice but to take as much advantage of this situation as possible. She will escape sooner or later. Little did she know, the other Hyuuga, outside the door, knew exactly what Hinata's thoughts were.


	3. Chapter 3

They checked the DNA, wanting to make sure it wasn't one of the white creatures. The expressed their condolences when the result came out. The test was positive, that she was really dead. She was gone. She will never come back. She was killed in front of him. He could do nothing. And now, he could say nothing.

Neji was in deep shock as were her teammates. It was so unreal. They had went to to the war, putting their lives at stake. The idea of losing one of their friends had seemed like a fairytale. They had never thought about it seriously. They had wanted to believe deep down that everyone would be celebrating by the end of the war. They had taken it for granted that everyone would fine, but that was far from the truth. They knew that very well now.

Her clan, her father and the rest of her friends, everyone had heard about it shortly after. Her body had been sent back to the Hyuuga to be cremated. The war was still ongoing. Everyone was still fighting. There wasn't even a time for a decent funeral. They could barely pay their respect and say goodbye.

Sakura had broken down when she had first seen the body- or what was left of it- in her tent. Ino, Tenten and the boys, they all had shed tears. They didn't tell Naruto yet. He didn't need to know in his current situation. He needed to focus or he will lose his life and everyone will lose the war.

Her father had collapsed to his knees when he had heard. He had cried. She was, after all, his precious daughter. He loved her no matter how harsh he had been. He loved her more than himself. He wished he had taken her place in death. She was young and full of promise.

Their spirits were down, but they stayed to fight. They thought of her as hero. _She will be remembered_. everyone thought. It was only Neji that couldn't fight anymore. He was stunned. As if his soul had left him. He didn't cry. He didn't talk. He didn't move. And thus, they took him to the medical tent. They gave him a drug, put him to sleep. It was shocking to hear it, but nothing compared to actually witnessing it happen.

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><p><em>They were fighting back to back, Neji and Hinata. The enemies seemed to be increasing in number. Every time they defeated one, two more would appear. Hinata was cornered, her back was to a small mound of rocks.. Suddenly, a big unstable rock fell over her, crushing her to pieces. It happened in mere seconds. No body could have avoided it. <em>

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><p>If Naruto or his clone had been there things might have been different, everyone thought. At least for now they will keep it from him. The Kages were still fighting the real Madara while Naruto was taking care of the impostor and his puppets. The war was sure coming to an end. It depended on them, the future depended on them. So, they kept their emotions in check and continued to fight.<p>

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><p>Hyuga Hikari was an impatient woman. She didn't like to repeat herself. That for sure is what Hinata found out the hard way. Hikari came few hours after the conversation where she revealed her identity, and unblocked Hinata's chakra system allowing her to move. Only to have the girl attacking her again, an attack that ended in two seconds and Hinata was unable to move once more.<p>

Hinata knew she couldn't outdo this woman. She was way too strong, stronger than her father and Neji even. She could last longer in a real fight against either of them. She wondered who this woman really was. What her motives were and why she kept her. She had said previously something about a _jutsu_ that she wanted to teach her, but that didn't make any sense to the young girl.

After a whole night lying on the stony floor, Hikari came once again and released Hinata's chakra. This time she didn't jump to attack; she knew that it would only be in vain to do so. She was asked to follow. For the first time in who knew how long, Hinata walked out of the cold room. The hallways of the building were dark and humid, just like the room. The whole place seemed to be built in a cave, since she could see some natural rocky walls. There were no windows to be seen anywhere. The faint light of a few oil lamps made the whole experience horrifying. Hinata couldn't use her byakugan yet. It was still blocked somehow, so she had no way to confirm the location of the building.

They both walked through the maze of the building. Hinata thought that this woman purposely did that to confuse silence made the time pass so slowly, it felt like hours. Hinata finally decided to break the silence,

" where are we going?" she asked.

"To the main hall. I want to explain a few things to you first. I'm sure after you hear what I have to say you will not want to go back to your so called family" replied Hikari.

Hinata only narrowed her eyes skeptically and followed quietly.

They arrived to a huge gate, it could've been made of iron or some metal. It was rusty as was the rest of the building and had no lock or handles what so ever. Hikari performed few hand seals and placed her hand on the gate opening it. They both entered to a huge hall. It was built with stones and mold grew everywhere as the rest of the building. Few oil lamps decorated the six walls present in the room and t a huge stoney dome made the roof. There was a fire place and two chairs facing each other near one of the walls. In the center of the room there was a small fountain. Hinata wondered about the reason it was their.

Hikari took a seat and gestured to Hinata to sit. She complied and sat across from her not daring to look her in the eye as she waited for her to talk.

"Ok, Hyuga Hinata. You are Hiashi's daughter am I correct?" Hinata only nodded. "well, I'm going to tell you an interesting story about my life. Let's start with the basic facts" she paused then continued, "your father is my older brother".

At this Hinata's head shot up and she had a look of disbelief on her face. She couldn't have heard this right. _How could this be possible? She didn't have an aunt_. _This woman was definitely lying._ Hikari caught on this and gave Hinata a smirk.

"oh, of course you don't believe me. But that is not important, you will come to believe this eventually. I will just continue my story then. I was a Konoha kunoichi just like you are. I was a member of the respected Hyuuga clan. I mastered the arts of the clan's fighting style at an early age, but in few years I realized, everything was way too stupid" She paused.

She was silent for a few minutes and from the look in her eye she seemed to be recalling bad memories.

"I was still a chunin at the time I realized, the Byakugan isn't as strong as the Hyuuga wanted to believe. We constantly trained in taijutsu over and over. All we have become good for is close range combat and scouting missions. We didn't have any special ninjutsu nor were we immune against genjutsu. It was all because the idiots that are your elders didn't want to question the history of our ability. They didn't want to push it further. They were content with being mere close combat fighters. No Hyuga ever was a legendary shinobi. The Hyuga were frozen in their place. Nothing new was accepted. I was frustrated. I wanted to unveil the secrets of the Byakugan to the core of it's genetic code. I wanted to push the limits. I wanted to research it, develop it. I wanted my clan to be more than what they were" she puased to catch her breath, then continued in a more calm but sinister tone.

"Of course, the old geezers were so upset they wanted to put the seal on my forehead. They never put it on a woman in the past. I was the first to make them want to break the rules. I was honored" she said sarcastically. "That is why I left Konoha. I became a missing-nin. I have been one for twenty years. Of course I was doing my research on the precious Byakugan. I actually discovered some interesting things. Well, that is where your role comes. I want you to be my successor. You are from the main house as well, and when you master what I will teach you fully and when you will surpass me, only then, will you be free" she stated giving Hinata an evil smirk.

Hinata tried to look unfazed, but this woman was certainly crazy. She had major problems. Nothing she said made any sense.

"so, you don't mind if I betray you?" asked Hinata only to hear a chuckle then loud laugh.

"When you surpass me, our goals will overlap. You will want the same thing I want. You will want to destroy the Hyuuga" she sibilated.


	4. Chapter 4

Hinata was given a small bedroom with a bathroom. She had cried all night, that night. She felt alone, scared and confused. She tried to gather her courage and think clearly. She was given access to her Byakugan. Clearly, that woman,her aunt, didn't think much of her, as she was leaving her to wander around freely. Her body was still numb though. She could only move with difficult. Escaping right now, was out of the question.

This woman, Hikari, wasn't a very tall woman. She was only an inch or two taller than Hinata. She had a pale skin and a very dark hair. It was charcoal black. Her eyes looked tired as she had a slight dark color under them. She looked in her thirties or late twenties. She had a very short hair in a pixie cut with her bangs parted to the side over her forehead. Hinata couldn't see the Hyuuga's seal on Hikari's forehead indicating her relation to main house. Hikari wore a simple khaki shirt and black pants and covered them with a black hooded cloak.

Hinata sighed as she dropped on her bed. She has been walking around the room to regain the strength in her legs. She got tired really easily and decided to rest. Her bed was decent, it wasn't very comfortable but it was tolerable. She stared at the fan in the sealing. It was going in endless circles. She wondered where the electric power came from. The entire building, from what she's seen, was lit using old oil lamps, even the bathroom. She didn't have any windows in her room -not that she was surprised. So, she felt trapped and suffocated. She couldn't stand this place.

She thought of many escape plans, but she didn't have enough information to act. She had to know her captor inside out if she ever dreamed of escaping. No one was coming to the rescue. She had to fight this battle alone. Her mind drifted to her friends in the battlefield, and to Naruto. Her heart sped up at the thought of him and worry clouded her mind. She couldn't help but to worry a lot about him. _What if he was injured? What if they captured him_? She wanted to protect him, even with her life if necessary. But now, she is a helpless hostage in the clutches of a madwoman.

Before she knew it, she was crying again, missing him and missing them. _What would he think now that she was presumed dead? Would he be sad?_ He still haven't answered her confession yet. Though, she knew what his answer would have been. She couldn't help but feel depressed at the thought and life suddenly seemed darker, emptier. She didn't mind not being his special one, but it still hurt.

A small smile appeared on her face. She told herself she was content as long he was safe and happy. She would be his shadow and that would be enough. She sometimes cursed her heart that chose to hold this heavy burden. It was warm and fuzzy, but it was painful all the same. A bittersweet feeling she couldn't decide whether she liked it or not. She was grateful. He was the force that pushed her to be stronger, to overcome her insecurities and to see life in a new light. She wasn't going to give up or she would deem herself unworthy of his friendship. She swore, she was going to find a way out.

Her chest swelled with determination as she got up again. She wanted to explore more in the building and learn every corner of it. Now that she had her Byakugan, she should be able to gather enough informaion. She took a hesitant step out of the room and walked slowly activating her Byakugan. She tried to walk as quietly as possible. She could see the building had three large halls. It was spacious with a lot of corridors but few small rooms -except for the three large ones. Most of the rooms were empty. There was no one in the building except for one, that crazy woman.

Hinata refused to acknowledge the older Hyuuga as her relative. She couldn't believe it. Not to mention, she never trusts enemies. She walked toward the left of her room in the corridor trying to avoid her kidnapper, who was in the opposite side. She was confused; she couldn't see an entrance or any windows in the whole building, as if it was built with no way in or out, like an egg. She wandered around for few minutes before her body started to give in. She decided she had seen enough and was heading back to her room. When she reached the door however, her beloved 'aunt' was leaning against the door frame. Her face blank with no emotion.

"Like your new home?" Hikari asked sarcastically. Hinata cringed under her gaze, she couldn't meet her eyes. "It's time" Hikari simply said closing her eyes as if she was resting. Hinata felt a cold shiver. This woman gave an intimidating aura without even trying.

"time for what?" Hinata asked uncertainly facing down.

"For your training" Hikari said before she pushed off the wall and walked lazily. Hinata took that as an order to follow, and she did.

They walked toward one of the empty large halls. The gate, like the previous hall's, was also sealed with ninjutsu. Only Hikari knew the seals. Hinata wondered why the gate was sealed when no one lived here and there was absolutely nothing inside. She wondered for a moment if this woman had any partners.

Hikari entered first and Hinata followed her hesitantly. They stopped in the middle of the hall when a loud crashing noise indicated the gate was closed. Hinata literally jumped at the sound. Hikari stood still for several minutes with her back to Hinata. She was staring at the empty wall. She was so silent one would think she stopped breathing. Few minutes later, the woman took a sharp deep breath and turned around to face a nervous Hinata.

"We will start from the basics" she said calmly. "Look at your feet" she ordered. Hinata instantly complied. They were both standing on a circle on the floor. It was covered with a different stone than the rest of the large room. The room itself was illuminated by six oil lamps separated by an equal distant on six walls. There was nothing else in the whole place. It was empty and full of dark energy. The atmosphere was so heavy, Hinata for a moment thought she was in the devil's lair.

"This room is designed specially to disturb your chakras" Hikari said while she paced out of the circle to lean against one of the walls leaving Hinata standing in the middle of the circle.

"The Hyuga clan has a very stable aura. Because, all their chakras are functioning in perfect balance" she stated simply. Hinata however didn't understand what she was talking about. She knew what chakra is, heck she could see it. But this woman was talking as if she was referring to a totally different concept. Chakra was the result of molding both spiritual and physical energy. It was just a simple fact.

Hikari however, seemed to notice Hinata's confusion and smirked. "It's obvious we are not on the same page. Let's take it from the beginning. The human body is a physical and spiritual existent, regardless of the person. Everyone has two types of energy, the spiritual and physical that mold those together to create chakra. You know about yin and yang release and there relation to spiritual and physical energy, right? One creates form and the other creates life with both one can do ninjutsu and genjutsu. Higher levels of control like the Sage of Six Path's techniques can do things that are problem is that it's a genetic ability. You cannot learn it. Well, the interesting thing is, it can be imitated, but from a totally different approach".

Hinata just listened carefully. This woman was definitely mad. Was she planing of forcing her to learn some forbidden jutsu? Like the one Kabuto used to revive the dead. Hinata wanted to run away, to escape this place. The energy in it was so intense, it was sickening. She was starting to feel petrified.

" I discovered that, there is more to people than physical and spiritual energy. There is a third force, one that bridges the two. It automatically keeps both in balance and thus, no one noticed" she paused. "until now that is" she added amused. "It is just like gravity. A force pulling objects toward other mysteriously like magic. But it's so simple that I couldn't believe it when I first found the answer" She stopped and closed her eyes, breathing deeply. She let out a sigh then focused her eyes on Hinata with an expression that looked... contented?

"Anyway, this awesome power is, believe it or not, the power of thought and emotion. The mind controls both the spirit and body with a strict organized system. It's the same in all humans. There are seven gates that can withdraw or pour energy toward and out of the body. They are balanced in an aura around the body. It's a kind of energy that is not palpable like normal chakra is. Every one of those gates -chakras- has a distinct color, just like the light spectrum. Meaning, every one of them is radiating energy at a different rate. Every one serves a different role individually, but collectively, they make up the aura that is a mirror of your mind; and the mind is the core of your existence. Personally I think, it's what we really are. Those chakras of course couldn't be seen. Until, I found a way to see them" she paused. " with the Byakugan of course" she said with a smile.

"what do you gain by seeing them?" Hinata said unsure.

"Oh? You didn't wait for me to finish" she said amused. Hinata only narrowed her eyes. Hikari perceived that as her cue to continue.

"As you know the symbol of the Hyuga clan is the yin and yang. It represents balance and it couldn't be more accurate. Usually, the color of the aura changes according to the change in thought and emotion. It's never homogenous though. But when it comes to the Hyuuga, they have a very stable aura that is of one color, an unbelievably balanced system of chakras. That is what makes them weak when it comes to mastering the arts of ninjutsu and genjutsu that need a dynamic and an ever changing aura. The Hyuuga however, have a fixed aura . When you first think about it, it seems disadvantageous, but in reality it's anything but. Hinata tell me, what color do you get when you mix all the colors of the light spectrum?"

Hinata hesitated for a moment but answered nonetheless. "white?" she said simply.

"Perfect!" Hikari said cheerfully. "If you bring anyone in this world, even the Sage of Six Paths himself, nobody has ever achieved control over the seven chakras. They work in sync with the mind in the background, in silence. When it comes to the Hyuuga, execpt for Byakugan, they are normal, and yet, their aura's are homogenous. Meaning, they are the only ones that can reverse the process. They can change the flow in chakra to affect their minds and bodies"

Hinata could do nothing but stare in disbelief. _Was this woman sane?_ She doubted it, but stayed silent.

"To put it simply, controlling your chakras can push the limits of any restriction. You will feel like a god" she finished with an evil smirk.

"I-I don't understand" Hinata said so quietly she could barely hear herself, but Hikari heard anyway.

"You will find out later. I don't want to tell you about the best part yet" she said amused. She walked to the gate stretching her arms in the process and disappeared before she reached it, like she wasn't even there. Hinata was left alone in that circle. For some reason, she couldn't move.

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><p><em><strong>AN: So, what do you think? I know it's confusing and all that. Personally, I'm not too fond of this chapter. I wrote it in a rush after an exhausting exam while I was half asleep.  
><strong>_


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: When I see the number of hits on this story and receive no reviews, I realize my story is trash and maybe I shouldn't bother continuing. You agree, don't you? **

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**Just kidding... I'm not dropping this story. But seriously, review please :D **

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><p>He was tired of lies, tired of them all. Everything in his life was a lie. He felt stupid. They all wanted to manipulate him and they succeeded. He was used like an idiot. He wasted his life chasing the shadow of a dead man. He thought he was noble, that he was honorable and good. Then, when he learned the truth, he felt rage consuming him. He hated everyone. He hated life and hated his fate. So, he rebelled. He embraced his hatred and acted upon it. He didn't care anymore; he wasn't going to be lied to again.<p>

Then, he thought that he was on the right tract. He thought that nothing mattered anymore, as long as he made them as miserable as himself, as long as they felt the same pain. It was the perfect plan. He would be finally happy. _Happy?_ Was a foreign word to someone like him. It was an emotion that died long time ago. He couldn't remember what it was like to feel happy. He was angry. His life was like a dark could. He didn't care anymore, he would become evil and manipulative if he had to. He would kill every living soul if he had to, as long as he wasn't the only one in pain.

He refused to acknowledge his pain, loneliness and sadness. He was stubborn. He was a man. He didn't want to think about these feelings or they will become true, or he will become weak and defeated. So, he ignored them and then, transformed them, making anger and vengeance out of them. He was blind though, he has been looking at the world through the eye of a needle. He was stupid, weak, miserable and in pain. He was envious of them all, of Naruto. Unlike him, Naruto was stronger than hatred. He could forgive; he was man enough. He was'nt a child like himself. Sasuke was lied to again. He was used again and again. He was made a puppet and became an ignorant fool forever.

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><p>He had broken down in tears that day, crying like a baby. He had cried until he had no more tears to cry. He was through. He couldn't take it anymore. His best friend watched him in silence, keeping his distance, waiting for him to cool down. They had battled. They had tried to kill one another, but it had ended up with them siding with each other. The villains had been killed. They were now dead. No one was going to torment him and his deceased clan again, no one was left to do it. He was broken beyond repair. He wished he had died long ago or to never had been born.<p>

Sasuke felt a hand on his shoulder in a firm reassuring grip. "I'm not going back" he said in a dead voice. There was no reply but a gentle squeeze from the hand."I can't go back. I have no home back there" He elaborated.

"Sasuke," the hoarse voice of his friend held a plead in it. "I believe in you" he said. Sasuke shot him a side look, questioning him. But when he opened his mouth to say something, Naruto shook his head and looked him directly in the eyes. Naruto's eyes were sincere. They were saying farewell. The smile on Naruto's face widened to a grin.

"I will always be there if you need me, _you are my brother_, Sasuke". Sasuke's eyes widened slightly and for the first time in years, he smiled.

It would be the last time they saw each other. He was sure of it. He would roam the lands, a nameless, faceless shinobi, until he died. He wanted to forget, and be forgotten. He wanted to be alone. Everyone and everything held a reminder for him of his miserable life. He was empty, but at least, he could finally be peaceful. He was surely going to be killed had he gone back with Naruto. He wasn't afraid of death nor was he afraid of paying for his sins. It was just that, life wasn't fair and so, they wouldn't be fair. They would punish him as if he had no right to feel anything or to be angry. He was empty but his hatred toward those running Konoha lingered.

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><p>Naruto had gone back alone. Well, with his unconscious comrades, Kakashi, Bee and others. Sakura had rushed to him when she heard. He had been badly injured but nothing fatal. The far-off look on his face had told her everything. Sasuke wasn't going back again. She hadn't said anything though. She had only tended his wounds, scolded him a little and gave him a hug.<p>

"I'm glad. You're safe" she always found it difficult to control her tears. Specially when it came to the important people in her life. The war was over and he was safe, that was all what mattered.

When they had went back to Konoha, everyone had been cheering. It was over and the hero came back. He had collapsed in her arms when they reached the gates. She had only given him a smile and had taken him to one of the medical tents to rest.

They had won, but they had lost numerous comrades. Some had been dear friends. A wave of depression dawned on Sakura. She remembered Hinata. How she had stood against Pain to protect Naruto. She would have been killed then, but she had loved him enough to not care. Now, she was no longer here. She wondered how to tell Naruto. What if had feelings for her, for Hinata? What would he feel about it?

It was difficult, injured people were everywhere. She couldn't stay by his side for long. Her friends, everyone needed help with something. No one could sit down idly. So, she stayed beside Naruto for a few minutes before she ran to another tent. Outside, Tsunade was waiting for Sakura to leave, to go see Naruto. She had questions for him, ones she couldn't discuss with Sakura around, since they involved a certain Uchiha.

Naruto opened his eyes slowly. He was dreaming, dreaming of Sasuke coming back with him, of him finally forgiving everyone. His dream was cut short when he was awaken by the Hokage. Tsuande cleared her throat. He looked up. Amber eyes were staring at him with what seemed like a glare. He tried to sit up, but her hand on his shoulder kept him in place.

"Naruto," she said and gave a wide smile that changed her features instantly. " I knew you could do it... You saved us all." she said and closed her eyes letting out a sigh. She was about to say something when he beat her to it,

"Sasuke," he said grabbing her attention. "He doesn't want to destroy Konoha anymore" He said not looking at her. He sounded so lifeless.

" He still is a wanted criminal, Naruto." She said. He frowned at this and glared at her.

"He saved my life. If it weren't for him I would have been dead, so would have Kakashi and Bee" he said angrily.

Tsunade could only give him a blank look. Her mind was racing. She pinched her nose bridge and exhaled deeply.

"You mean to say, he was responsible for ending the war?" she questioned. Naruto's face brightened, and he nodded. "Fine, I will discuss his issue with the other kages again. I cannot promise anything. The most generous offer I expect to get, is withdrawing his death penalty and we will not hunt him down " She said while standing up. She walked toward the tent's entrance and turned to him slightly. "I'm glad you're safe" She said smiling warmly before she left.

Naruto didn't know what to feel. He had mixed emotions and his mind was a mess. He felt loss and contentment in the same time, it was confusing, but he knew something for sure. He had helped his friend the best he could. He had a feeling it wouldn't be long before Sasuke was back. Only this time, he didn't worry about his friend's sanity.

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><p><em><strong>AN: Okay, this was a short chapter but it will do -It's about **_**Saskay**_** :P... I hope you didn't get too bored. Chapter 6 is on the way, but I think it will be a bit late -around 1st of February but maybe before. Oh, and by the way, forgive my grammar; it's really poor. **_


	6. Chapter 6

Sasuke Uchiha was a man with a lot of pride. He would never do anything he didn't feel like doing. He had vowed to never go back to Konoha or his life as a ninja. He would live up to his resolution to the end of his life. Desperate times, however, called for desperate measures.

"How much is he willing to pay" He said impatiently. He would try to scare the man in front of him as much as he could. He had to get as much as possible out of this.

"I- ah, the Lord will pay generously, as long as you finish the job of course" The man in front of him said in the tone of a veteran negotiator. He didn't in the least fazed by Sasuke's presence.

Than man's reaction unnerved him. Didn't he have that effect on people anymore? He chuckled inwardly and turned from the man in front of him to pay more attention to his food. He wanted him to feel little and unimportant. The other man, however, ignored him completely and went back to his meal.

They were meeting in a teahouse. Sasuke of course was under henge. He had grown tired of scarce amount of food he could get. He had longed for a roof above his head. He liked the natural scenery but it made him feel vulnerable, plus it rained sometimes. He needed a job. He needed money. He had tried to do many jobs, but people had refused to hire him. All he was good for, unfortunately, was ninja arts. Finally, he had caved in to his need for money and decided to find a job, a ninja's job.

He had good ears. He had known that if he opened his ears, gossip would lead the way to a possible employer. He had enough fame to win their favor.

His plan hadn't worked so well in the first few weeks. All the villages he had visited had been so small and poor for any possible employer to be around. Luck had smiled to him finally. He had almost given up when he heard an interesting story. He had been in small restaurant sipping his tea, since he had not got enough to order a proper meal.

"Have heard? I tell you, those two will kill each other one day. I can't believe they are actually brothers," A man sitting at the table behind him had said astonished.

"Well, the older one is the son of a mistress. He, in my honest opinion, had no right to inherit. He is just some bastard. I can't believe their father gave the illegitimate son the biggest estate. Well, he was a crazy man anyway. Look at what he's done with his thoughtlessness. Now his two sons are going to kill each other," another man had said. It sounded like they were sitting at the same table. This one sounded calmer that the first, and maybe even older.

"pfft. Nah, that guy is too much of a chicken. He wouldn't dare kill his brother. I think he will just steal his father's Will and burn it," the other one had said. And then they both had started to laugh and pound their hands on the table.

Sasuske had spent a whole week trying to tail those men and getting information about the story. After a long week, he was harvesting the fruit of his effort. This fruit better be huge.

"I want at least, two million ryo" Sasuke said with suddenly.

"But that's a bit too much for such a job. Sure someone with your skills would have no problem at all. How about five hundred thousands?" the man said smiling, trying to persuade Sasuke into submission. He had something else coming.

"No, I will take no less than that. The estate is worth more than seven hundred millions. You can go hire another missing-nin if you want. I don't guarantee they won't kill you and your master afterwards. I am the best you could have."

The man shivered at the mention of killing and averted his eyes. He seemed to be considering.

"Fine, I will talk about it with the Lord. I will see you here tomorrow, the same time" he said as he threw some bills on the table and left.

Sasuke was glad. He could finally taste real food. The guy had chosen an expensive teahouse for the meeting. He had wanted privacy and this particular place could provide private rooms for guests if they wished. Sasuke finished his food and sighed in delight than gathered his things and left.

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><p><em>Gasping for air, she clutched her chest. The pain was sharp. It intensified every second. She wondered if her heart stopped. Her breaths became shorter and shorter, until she could breathe no more. She felt faint and the world around her darkened. She felt no pain as she hit the floor and the pain in her dying heart was all she could think about. It was still better than what she lived through just minutes before, death that is. <em>

Hinata moaned in pain as a sharp spear pierced her chest, and then she realized she was dreaming and had to wake up. She tried to open her eyes while they were still open in the dream. Suddenly, she wasn't standing anymore, and her body felt heavy. She could see the ceiling of the room she was given a week ago. She stretched her arm and stared at her palm, there was no blood like in her dream. She felt cold. Her clothes were wet. She had been sweating profusely. The dream –the nightmare- she just had was fading in her memory. She could no longer remember the pain of the spear or what the dream had been about.

She sighed and tried to get up. She felt exhausted and heavy. Sitting up, her head spun, so she lay on her bed again. Memories of a harsh 'training' flashed through her head. Those were things she didn't want to remember. She shook her head wanting to kill the memories.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you," that voice said. The voice she had grown to despise through that past week.

"Why would you care?" Hinata said -smiling sarcastically- in a pitch higher than intended.

"Why? You're my niece, are you not?" She said amused, returning the smile faintly.

"What did you do to me?" Hinata said darkly.

"hmm?" hummed Hikari as she pushed against the door frame and approached hinata's bed.

"S-stay away from me" Hinata said weakly. This woman scared her. This woman did horrible things to her. She tried to get up. The abrupt movement caused her to wince in pain. She closed her eyes and clutched her head. She was developing the strongest headache of her life.

She felt something cold touching her forehead. She jumped startled and opened her eyes to see Hikari leaning over her with something that looked like a pack of ice in her hand pressing it against Hinata's forehead.

"I brought some lavenders," she said pressing lightly on Hinata's right temple with her other hand. Hinata could see the lavenders –which she didn't notice before- from the corner of her eye. She could even smell them now. The smell was relaxing. She furrowed her brows in confusion and opened her mouth to speak.

"Their scent helps sooth the pain" Hikari cut in answering Hinata's unspoken question.

Hinata was more confused than ever. Her confusion, though, steadily simmered until it became a boiling anger. She raised her hands to push Hikari away. How dare she torture her then tend her wounds? To her frustration, the other woman was stronger. She had iron hands. She struggled a little more before she gave in and settled on glaring at the woman standing beside her.

"Hinata," Hikari spoke sounding determined. Hinata jumped a little bit not expecting her to talk.

"I don't do this because…" she trailed off sounding lost, and then sighed in exasperation.

"I will bring something for you to eat" she told Hinata as she moved away from her leaving the icepack on Hinata's lap and leaving the room.

Hinata was confused by her aunt's actions. What did that woman want to say? What made her more confused was how relaxed she felt. The headache subsided and she felt her eyelids become heavier. She was tired, but not as much as before. She could think clearer. She unwillingly went through the memories of her latest training session, visiting a realm in her mind she wished to bury forever. She tired to at least grasp the meaning of it. It was unsettling how strange she had felt at the time.

In the first training session when she had first met Hikari, she had been bound with some kind of seal to the floor. She had stood there for hours, but nothing really happened. This time though, she didn't know what had happened. It had started like normal, with Hikari dragging her under threat to some hall, and a short conversation including more threats and insults to the Hyuuga and then unknowingly she had found herself bound to a circle again. Only this time, she hadn't seen the circle when she had first walked into that room.

She shuddered at the memories of that time. A flood of different contradictory sensation had invaded her. It had shaken her sanity. She had been on fire and in ice in the same time. She had been in pain and hadn't. She had felt dead and more alive then ever. She had wished that torture would stop, but at the time it had felt as if it lasted forever. The suffering had been unbearable. She had felt insane. She had felt herself melting, disappearing. She could see herself as if she had separated from her body. She had watched herself scream in agony, clutching her hair, crying and laughing and then, dying.

She didn't know what kind of jutsu that was. It was definitely something to do with what Hikari talked about in their first meeting. She felt scared of the whole idea. Different thoughts raced through her mind. What if she became really insane and lost herself to the darkness? What if Hikari forced her to attack her friends and loved ones?

Her thoughts were interrupted as Hikari entered with a tray in hand. Hinata, didn't want to see this person, but in all honesty, she was really hungry in the moment. Hikari set the tray on the small table beside the bed, next to the flowers. She turned to leave, but stopped in her tracks when Hinata spoke.

"You never answered my question" Hinata said through grated teeth, trying to control her anger.

"What question?" Hikari said with her back to Hinata.

"Whad did you do to me?" Hinata inquired, slowly losing her calm.

Hikari was silent for a long moment before she spoke again "Nothing irreversible" she said simply and resumed her walk to the door.

"That's not what I asked," Hinata sharply said a bit louder.

Hikari stopped again and turned to stare at Hinata. Her face was unreadable. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath in before she spoke again,

"I know what you asked, and I don't intend on answering in the time being. If you really want to understand you will have to cooperate. Only then, I will explain more to you about this" she said firmly.

"Get some rest. Tomorrow you will have another training"

Hinata's eyes widened with horror. She didn't want to experience anything like that again. She opened her mouth to protest when Hikari cut in,

"No, tomorrow you will have a normal training. You won't have anymore chakra training until your heart is able to take it. Goodbye" she said and left the room closing the door behind.

All Hinata could do was process the information she just got. That torture was chakra training and from what she heard it affected her heart. She shook with fear. She felt helpless. Her breath hitched and she didn't realize she was crying until a warm stream of tears trailed down her cheek.

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><p>The news had been hard on everyone who knew the girl. Naruto had been uncharacteristically quiet when he first heard. He hadn't cried, he hadn't screamed and he hadn't said anything.<p>

In the war many had lost their life, hence, no speciall funeral was arranged to honor Hinata's death. There had been one big gathering to remember all the soldiers who sacrificed their lives in the war. Their names had been engraved on the Memorial stone for them to be remembered forever.

It had been only one month since the end of the war, and almost one month since Hinata had left the world. Naruto had only found out a few days after his return. He had been shocked. He had felt sick in his stomach. His happiness with the end of the war, with the safety of his best friend, with peace, had withered like an old leaf when learned about Hinata.

It had shaken him to the core, the news of her untimely death. He had felt numb for a whole weak before he regained his senses and reality dawned on him. He had cried, a lot. Sakura had been there by his side the whole time. She had tried to ease his pain, cheer him up, but he had felt ashamed and guilt had seized his heart. Those feelings had made him nauseous.

The girl who had stood up, attempting to protect him, the girl who had confessed her love to him as she neared death, had disappeared. She now existed no more and it was hard to believe.

Three weeks had passed now. Naruto was still chained by unfathomable emotions. He felt suffocated. He didn't know what to do. All morning, he stared at the ceiling above him. Today, he had woken up extra early and didn't know what to do, so, he had decided to stay in bed.

It was near afternoon when he heard a knock on his door. He moved lazily and walked to open the door.

"Ah, Sakura-chan" He said, smiling sheepishly, scratching the back of his neck out of habit.

She glared at him as she tapped the floor with her boot. He looked at her confused, what was she angry about? And a sharp pain pierced his heart when his eyes met hers.

"How long do you plan on hiding in here? You can't stay like this forever you know?" She said sharply but in an unkind manner. She sounded concerned.

He averted his eyes, unwilling to look at her. Then, he raced through his mind for something to say.

"Sorry about that" he said forcing a smile. "I will get ready and maybe we could go and…" He trailed off. The smile on his face faded. He couldn't bring himself to finish that sentence. It reminded him of an unwanted fact, a fact that made his chest tight and suffocated him with guilt.

Sakura wasn't stupid. She could see that look on his face. She could see the pained expression. She wasn't ignorant of her feelings. She faced them with courage all the time. She never ran away from them. She had grown aware of how she felt about the boy in front of her. She noticed how bright her day became when she saw him, how all worries evaporated when he smiled, how he made everything seem okay.

She had come to an agreement with herself about those feelings. She couldn't however accept how he was right now and how she felt about it. Hinata's death affected him so much. It made her feel angry. Every time she saw how devastated he was it made her feel angry. It made her feel ashamed, how she was in the deepest part of her heart, blaming Hinata for what'd become of Naruto. She hated herself for thinking like this of a dead person.

She couldn't, however, let him destroy himself like this. He was too precious to her. She stepped on her guilt and smiled at him.

"Fine, get ready and we will go get some ramen," She said.

"Oh. Okay, I will be ready in a second" He smiled weakly and went back inside closing the door behind him.

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><p><strong><em>AN:_**

**_You probably are not gonna read this but I will write this anyway._**

You are wonderful people. I thank all those who have reviewed, it means a lot to me. The reason I updated this later than promised is that I haven't been able to write for a while. I even seriously considered dropping this story all together. In my head, I swear, it sounded much better. I really doubt I can deliver my ideas in written form. My grammar is so bad that I am really ashamed and my vocabulary is so limited.

I have a lot going on lately and the semester is nearing it's end. I will be away for a while because of that.I already started the next chapter and I can say it's half done, but will need many adjustments. **In the end, I ask you kindly to point out my mistakes and tell me honestly -in a polite way- where I have bored you too much that you had to skip. And finally, leave a review. A review always makes my day and motivates me to write more. Thank you.**


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

Exhaling in elation, Sasuke lay on the warm futon the blonde server girl had laid for him for the evening. He enjoyed his stay in this inn. Warm bed, hot tea and beautiful servers made his stay in the last few days a total bliss. He had almost forgotten those simple pleasures of life. He had spent almost a whole month homeless, since the end of the war. His employer had great expectations for him. He had given in to Sasuke's request. Over all, he had even agreed to pay Sasuke one million in advance. Hence, Sasuke was spending the money like there was no tomorrow.

Many thoughts ran through Sasuke's mind. He was very exited about his new mission. He could feel his heart hammer against his chest in anticipation, every time he would think about it. The mission should be fairly simple –for someone of his league at least. His employer –the younger brother- Shohaitani, Had wanted him to infiltrate his brother's estate while he was in a long trip to the Fire country. He would then have to find and steal the title deed of the estate. Once Shohaitani had that, he could legally claim the estate his and his brother wouldn't have any legal document to prove his right to it. All the witnesses who were present during the signing of the document were all now under the ground.

Sasuke had visited the property himself to inspect it and formulate a proper plan. It was tightly guarded and he already had his suspicions about the location of the scroll. It was indeed a large estate. The man spared no money in providing security or elaborate architectural designs. It was divided in four large houses that looked really newly built and numerous large trees surrounded them. Vegetable fields occupied a significant part of the land. They even had two stables. The man seemed to be fond of horses, and he seemed to have the intelligence of a horse. It was obvious where he kept his precious scroll. A small room that looked like a library was separated from all the other building, located in the heart of the estate. Also, guards seemed to have taken a liking to hanging around it.

The only reason they had decided to wait a whole month before striking was because; the Lord Shohaitani was accompanying his brother on his visit to the Fire Daimyo. It would spare him the accusations if he were away while the scroll disappeared. No one would think he would trust anyone enough to steal for him when he couldn't get the document immediately.

The second part of the plan didn't involve Sasuke. He was just required to deliver the document to the proxy that arranged the mission for him, and then receive the remainder of his payment. Sauske hadn't met Shohaitani personally and wasn't planning to. The second half of the plan, Sasuke guessed, was that they would lay low for a few months, and then pretend to have found the stolen scroll 'accidentally'. They would then discover that it was in Shohitani's name from the beginning and that his older brother had tampered with it, deceiving them all. It was a perfect plan; even Sasuke had to admit.

All this though, helped to increase the pressure on Sasuke. He played a very integral part of the whole deal. If he failed, he could kiss his life goodbye. He would be hunted for sure and murdered. Not that he was afraid. He was already on the run. Now that he thought about it, he hadn't heard of any news of a bounty over his head. It was unsettling somehow. He would have felt safe, but how long would it be before he was captured again to be killed?

He pushed all the upsetting thoughts to the back of his head. He didn't need this right now. He wanted to enjoy this and forget about all the possible scenarios, where he would fail and get killed. He had to believe in himself. He possessed the legendary Eternal Mangekyo. He could kill people by just looking at them. There was no way little ninja guards would be enough to threaten his mission.

He exhaled loudly and pulled the covers over his body. He needed sleep. He was going to train in the morning. He closed his eyes, and for a brief moment, a picture of his home in Konoha flashed through his mind. He sighed in exasperation and tried to think of something else. He had no home there. Even if he considered his teammates as family. Even if he missed them so much, and even if he felt so lonely it was killing him, he would survive.

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><p>Hinata gasped for air. She was beyond exhausted. As promised, Hikari had pulled her out of bed with the first rays of light at dawn –figuratively speaking since no windows were to be found anywhere. The day had gone by quickly. Hikari had been ruthless. Hikari had decided they train with gentle fist. She had said something along the lines, <em>"You need a strong body to cope with your Chakras".<em> Thus, they had sparred for hours. Hikari hadn't seemed to even break a sweat. It had been so unnerving on Hinata's part, it had made her lose her calm and throw random uncalculated punches and kicks. In the end, Hinata had ended up breathless, tired and completely drained of chakra.

Hikari was walking away leaving the room they used for training, leaving Hinata behind, when Hinata spoke.

"Why?" Hinata said in whisper.

"Why what?" Hikari had stopped walking and faced Hinata with a passive expression.

"Why are you doing all this? Why do you hate the Hyuuga so much?" Hinata had grown tired from this woman's constant evasion of this question. She had to know now.

Hikari sighed in slight annoyance. Hinata's irritation grew with every breath. _She isn't going to answer this time either?_ Hinata had given up. Thus, she was startled when the woman spoke again.

"How much do you want to know?" Hikari asked sounding strangely reluctant.

Hinata thought for a moment letting the question sink in before she answered, "What do you mean?"

Hikari sighed again tapping her foot on the floor impatiently. She opened and closed her mouth to speak a few times before she finally did,

"Do you prefer to know the reason why I hate the Hyuuga, or the reason why you should? Or do you want to know the reason why they all just should go ahead and kill themselves?" She replied, her voice rising gradually that she almost snarled.

Hinata was a little intimidated. She thought about what she heard briefly. She had to get answers, even form unreliable sources. She finally gathered her courage and steeled herself, then spoke, "Why do _you_ hate them?"

Hikari's eyes widened a little before she smiled and shook her head in amusement.

"Fine, I will tell you my story" She said in the friendliest tone Hinata had ever heard her use since they met.

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><p>It was now or never. Sasuke could feel his heart rate accelerating. The rush of adrenaline and excitement through his veins, made him feel lightheaded. It was midnight. He already had identified the location were the scroll was being kept. Four men guarded the small room. From the weapons they carried, he could tell they were ninja. Though, they didn't seem to be good ninjas as they weren't alerted to his presence and he was only few meters away from them. He had been watching them for an hour, sitting still atop a tree. It was dark but the two lanterns hanged on the wall of the library, generated enough light for him to see. It amazed him how careless these people were. They were chatting and drinking while on duty. '<em>All the better'<em> he thought.

He was about to leap in front of them, when the sight of something strange stopped him. The guards, all four of them, dropped to the ground like stunned flies. His narrowed his eyes and observed closely. He was no sensory ninja, but he was certain, someone must have been there, someone who moved before he could. '_Shit!_ 'He thought. He had to think fast. This new turn of events was a bad sign, very bad sign.

He was on edge. Whoever it was who had knocked them out, he had done it so swiftly even Sasuke hadn't noticed even when he was watching them very closely.

His senses sharpened to the maximum. He waited a few minutes before he decided to move closer to look from outside through a small window in the room. He landed soundlessly near the men. They looked dead, no external injuries could be found. He peered through the window. Then, he inhaled sharply. He had been fooled. The man who knocked out the guards had most certainly been long gone the moment he knocked them out. He was nowhere to be found inside the library. The scroll had magically disappeared too. Sasuke felt like an idiot. He had failed this mission before he even started.

He cursed under his breath as he heard loud footsteps approaching and fled as fast as he could. He damned his luck as he jumped from branch to branch, away from the estate. '_Just where was Karin when you needed her?'_ He thought bitterly. He felt like shouting and pulling out his hair. How could he have been so careless? He was so consumed in feeling miserable to notice a figure approaching behind him.

When the figure was close enough, his dull senses finally kicked in. He turned around at once to see the person who halted in his tracks. The other man suddenly shifted his direction of movement to the side disappearing in the dark of the night. It took Sasuke a full second to comprehend what had just occurred in front of him. He quickly regained his composure, and followed the other man.

He quickly caught up with to other man. He tired to catch the other man with Susanoo. He avoided it with no problem.

"Stop!" Sasuke ordered loudly as he became more and more frustrated.

The man pointedly ignored Sasuke and kept moving forward. Sasuke was growing impatient he almost used Amaterasu. He stopped himself a fraction of a second before he did so. He didn't intend to, first of all, kill the man. Secondly, the scroll will burn with him too, making this mission a double failure.

Sasuke let out an irritated sound and made a long leap toward the other man. He landed on a branch facing the man finally. The man halted and tried to run away again. Sasuke didn't give him a chance as he was already charging at him with his lightning sharpened Katana. The dodged just in time before Sasuke could cut him in half. The man drew a Kunai preparing to dodge the Katana if attacked again. _'What an idiot!'_ Sasuke smirked.

He charged at the man again only to feel a sharp jab on his right lower ribs. He suddenly dropped the Katana. Not entirely registering what had happened, he thanked the gods for his fast reflexes-and the Sharingan. Otherwise, he would have had a strong kick delivered to his head. He blocked it with his left arm. The force caused both men to land on the ground.

Sasuke had already taken advantage of the moment. He had the other man in Susanoo's clutches. He smirked and was about the smack the man on the ground when he suddenly lost control over his body. His Sharingan faded quickly. He tried to activate the Sharingan again, only to fail miserably. In his shocked state he hadn't seen the hand that clasped his throat until he was face to face with the other man, the other hooded man. He felt a sudden change in his chakra before his vision faded to black. He could feel himself still conscious, but his body –including his eyes- didn't obey him anymore. When he was dropped to the ground, he heard a feminine gasp and a faint "S-sasuke-Kun?" before his ears stopped functioning as well.

* * *

><p>Hinata felt her entire body shake with horror. She was so stunned she couldn't believe what was in front of her. The Byakugan had masked his features earlier. She had just met the infamous Uchiha. What was he doing here? Wasn't he a member of Akatsuki? She reminded herself quickly that the war had ended. Hikari had told her so. '<em>So, does that mean Naruto-kun succeeded?' <em>She smiled to herself at the thought_. _Then, a sudden realization dawned on her_.' Then, what was this guy doing there? Was he on an official mission?_ 'She gasped. Had she just wrecked an official operation of her village? She felt blood drain from her face. Not knowing any better, Hinata cut through the wind, running back to where she felt safe. She didn't dare look back. Her legs started to give in and she landed on a tree in the dark night to catch her breath. Only then, Hinata gathered enough courage and decided to activate her Byakugan, again, and check on him.

He was still on the ground. His face smudged in dirt. Drops of water landed on his skin as it started to rain. He was wearing a black cloak that didn't have the bloody clouds painted on it. She increased her focus and checked his chakra points and let out breath. He was going to be fine. Though, he won't wake up until few hours from now. She took a last glance and took off.

Dark figures approached his unmoving body. He looked dead. Maybe, they thought he was. Unkind arms latched around his, lifting him. They shook him a little. He didn't respond. A man carried him on his back, like a sack of potatoes. He adjusted his body on his shoulder so he felt comfortable carrying him. They exchanged looks and left quickly.

She had seen them, taking him away. She had no ability to move on and forget.

* * *

><p>It was a hidden patch of land that a number of dead trees covered. There was no reason why people shouldn't be able to find this place. Strangely, no one seemed to near it. The place where Hinata had spent the last months of her life training endlessly was an underground hideout. The entrance was buried under rotten wooden roots. They might have been there for years. The surrounding area had little to no green. It stood out in the vast forest, but had an eerie atmosphere that scared most people.<p>

"How did it go?"

"W-what?"

"How did your first mission go? Your face looks pale"

"Oh, I got the scroll" She said her voice fading.

"What happened?" Hikari put a hand on her shoulder looking her in the eye.

" I ran into someone I know"

"From Konoha?" asked Hikari. Hinata stood there not saying anything. Her lack of response confirmed Hikari's suspicions and she sighed tiredly. She paced toward the seat, that she treated often as her throne. She sat there eying Hinata patiently, urging her to say more.

"I might have put him in trouble" Said Hinata.

"What do you mean?"

"I… I don't know. They, they took him away. They might kill him and it would be because of me" Hinata looked lost. Her eyes wandered around the room as if looking for an answer.

"What was he doing there, anyway?" asked Hikari, her eyes narrow, her patience slowly fading.

" I don't know. I think he wanted the scroll too"

"Who are you talking about?"

"Uchiha Sasuke."

"What happened exactly?" Hikari asked startled.

"I ran into him while I was leaving the estate. We clashed and I ended up using the separation technique you taught me by accident. I was startled when I identified him and ran away. I then saw them take him away through the Byakugan"

"That's it? Then don't worry about him. He is a wanted criminal. He deserves anything he gets"

"No! The war has ended. I am sure Naruto-Kun convinced him to go back to Konoha. What if he was on an official mission? I caused him to be in danger. If he is killed, it will be my fault" Hinata's voice broke. She struggled to keep her voice even as a lump formed in her throat.

"That's possible. All in all, if he was as strong as rumors have it; he should be fine" Hikari sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose.

"What if they kill him while he is still unconscious?"

"Don't worry about him. You still have a long way to go in your training. If you want to achieve your goal, you have to be strong. You are far from mastering your Chackra techniques. It is better if you focus on this for now"

"What about him? What if he dies? I don't want to cause the death of a comrade" Hinata raised her voice.

"His life is none of your business. When you agreed to help me, you made a promise. Do you remember that?" Said Hikari, almost angry.

"Yes, I remember. I promised to help you," Hinata said sounding defeated. She glanced at Hikari, her eyes gleamed with determination and anger "but you still told me nothing of the truth! What are you hiding? What was the thing the Hyuuga did that was so bad? You told me what they did to you wasn't everything, that they did something to me too. What was it? Why are you not telling me anything?" her voice cracked. She felt her eyes burn with tears. She couldn't look at her aunt. This was shameful. Crying was shameful. It was something no Hyuuga should do.

"I want to protect you. I told you before, and will tell you again. If you learn the truth, there is no going back. You're still weak. You're still not ready. Please understand!" Hikari shouted. "Go to your room and rest. You're in shock" She dismissed Hinata.

Hinata walked through the dimly lit corridors. A plan formed in the deepest part of her mind. She had to do it. She would do it. In no way was she going to carry the burden of Naruto's best friend dying. Determined, she paced confidently to her room, knowing exactly what to do.

* * *

><p><strong>So, this was chapter 7 I hope you didn't find it too boring. Please feel free to ask me questions if the story is becoming confusing. If you hate this chapter, I will gladly rewrite it. I would really be thankful to anyone pointing out my mistakes, whether it's grammar or spelling or plot holes. I want to know what you think. Pleeeease review. It will make me really happy :D I really want to improve. So, I don't mind flames, hate reviews and harsh criticism as long as they don't involve me personally.<strong>

**Edit: I will be gone for a long time. I have to study and I can't seem to concentrate recently. This chapter to me is more than disappointing. I try, but my mind is full of other things to do, and the fact that I'm working on an original story doesn't help. I forgot to mention that the lord's name comes from Hungarian. I changed the spelling. It comes from the word sóhajtani .It is a verb -kinda- it means to sigh or breathe I'm not sure, my Hungarian sucks, but don't blame it is a difficult language. **


	8. Chapter 8

**Hi there, if you are still reading this... Thank you so much. **

**I don't own Naruto.**

Chapter8

Frustration consumed him as he failed to find the light. He found himself floating in a sea of nothingness. He heard nothing, not even his own breathing. He saw nothing, not even the dark. He could feel a tingling sensation on his skin. He though, couldn't move. It felt like an army of ants was crawling on his body. He wanted to scream. He wanted to rip his skin off. He didn't know what he wanted to do. He simply felt lost. Random memories found their way to him. Memories he had buried long time ago. He remembered a day when his uncle came to visit them after a long mission. He hadn't been feeling well that day. He remembered distinctly throwing up on his uncle's uniform. Suddenly, all feelings of shame came back to him. The look of embarrassment his parents had worn. The suppressed anger and forced smile his uncle had given them. He had wanted to crawl into a hole and hide. He also remembered destroying his brother's homework by accident and feeling scared. He remembered how he buried it in the backyard. Many others flooded his mind, one by one, confusing him to no end.

It could have been hours or days since he was trapped. He didn't have the clear mind to analyze his situation. His mind was running in a cycle through forgotten memories and his skin felt like lake in a rainy day.

Muffled voices of people talking woke him from his daze. He could hear their conversation getting clearer by the second. Slowly, he regained his sense of space and realized he was sitting on a chair. His body was numb however and he couldn't move a muscle not even his eyelids. They fluttered as he tried to open his eyes, only to fail at that.

"What do you mean by this?" he heard a distinctly male voice say angrily.

"I mean the document is with her. So, you don't need to worry. We got him and she will be returning the document in no time" another calmer voice said.

"What if she fooled us? She already received her payment. Uchiha Sasuke was our primary target, but that document is not any less important than his head" The first man replied.

_What? My head… what the hell is going on? _

"Is he awake yet?" the man sighed in exasperation.

"No man, he is sleeping like the dead. You could even slice his face with a kunai and he wouldn't awake" the other said mildly serious.

"Don't do that yet. We don't want a problem with them. Besides, you know this kid is like a slumbering dragon, if you disturb him it could be your death. I wonder though, what did she do to him?" The first guy said.

"I don't know, this woman is a witch. Come on, let's go get something to eat"

"What about him idiot? You will leave him alone? What if he regained consciousness?"

"The guards are everywhere. I will inform them don't worry"

He heard the voices getting further. Until, he couldn't hear them anymore. He tried to move but his body didn't obey. He started to feel helpless. Anger bubbled inside him and then fear followed. He was going to die. The thought scared him. It made him feel small and insignificant. He was going to be killed, away from home, from his friends.

Suddenly a thought occurred to him. They said he was sleeping. Meaning, he was only temporarily immobilized. Hope flickered in his heart and so, he waited.

* * *

><p>Hinata was starting to panic. It had been hours since she had left him there and the sun was starting to rise. To all she knew he could be dead already. She still couldn't believe she had managed to escape without Hikari noticing. It was suspiciously too easy. Hikari suddenly disappeared somewhere, leaving Hinata to do as she pleased. Hinata had a feeling she would face her wrath later. For now she didn't care; she had a life to save.<p>

She willed her legs to run faster and faster. She traced her steps to the estate and scanned it with the Byakugan from afar. Nothing much had changed except that the number of guards had doubled. Through the apple trees surrounding the main building to all the rooms in it, her eyes traveled. She saw the maids beginning to move with their daily duties. She saw one guard arguing with two maids at the door. She saw two guards snoozing off under a tree, a raging horse in the stable, but she couldn't find him. She pumped more chakra to her eyes increasing her range.

Then finally, she breathed out, relived, not noticing she was holding her breath before. She finally found him, lying limply on a chair. He looked lifeless. She frowned and brought a hand to her heart. She shook her head to clear her thoughts and made a mental note of his location. He was being held in a room underground in the south more secured part of the estate.

She repeated words of encouragement for herself and formulated a plan. Guards were in every corner, which scared her greatly. The idea of failure loomed over her head like a dark cloud, but she braced herself and breathed slowly to calm her nerves. Then, jumped off the tree.

It was easy to henge as one of the guards. After all, they all dressed in a classical ninja attire black shirts and black pants with bandages and katanas strapped on their shoulders and pouches holding their kunais and shurikens along with porcelain masks similar to ANBU's. Hinata thought absently that it was too convenient. It was not easy however; to walk confident while her heart was beating so fast. One… two… three guards… She counted as she passed them. She was doing well-

"Hold it there!" The guard sounded angry. She turned slowly trying to act normal. The suspicious look on his face said it all. Busted. And her heart stopped beating.

"Yes?" She answered as calmly as she could.

"Where are you going?" the guard told her.

"…" For a moment everything froze. She hadn't anticipated this. What had she been thinking? Images of her failures as a ninja, as a student, as daughter and even as a woman, flashed in front of her eyes, burning them. She, Hinata Hyuuga, had never once in her life did something useful. Yes, all she had been doing all her life was hold them back. That's why, no one needed her.

_It is time to change. Don't you think? _She thought.

A bitter smile graced her lips. _What am I doing? Trying to save a comrade while I don't have the heart to do it? Do I? _She closed her eyes and opened them slowly veins filled with energy surrounded her eyes. She didn't see the horrified face of the guard. She didn't see his mouth open, about to scream. All she saw was her mission.

He dropped on the ground.

_Yes I do _

"Come, I need help right here" She shouted angrily. Balancing the guy on her shoulder trying to keep him standing. Another guard hurried to her side.

"What happened?"

"How the hell should I know! He suddenly fell down" She shouted at him. Her male voice was strange to her ears.

"You look after him I will go inform them. I think there is an intruder!" she said.

The other guard immediately nodded accepting the task without question.

From now on she had only minutes to save him and leave before she was found out again.

She concealed her chakra and walked calmly to where she had seen Sasuke. The room was underground, hidden under a storage room where she guessed they stored equipment necessary for the farm. The men she saw earlier were standing outside discussing something it seemed. But the closer she was, the more her courage dissipated. Her breathing became erratic and her heartbeat sounded deafening to her ears.

The men stopped talking. She didn't notice the change in the atmosphere as approached them until it was too late. She felt a strong pain in her arm and her face met the ground. She felt knee drilling in her back. She whimpered in pain. The man had been fast. Everything was over now.

"And who are you supposed to be? My friend" the man said amused.

Her mind was cloudy. Ideas, thoughts, memories flooded her brain. She lost hope for an instant. Until, a smile as bright as the sun brought her back to reality. He had changed her and saved her and she was not about to disappoint him now, not when his best friend's life was in danger. Hinata, after all, did not go back on her word.

"Sir!" She started in a deep voice. "There is an intruder! One of the guards suddenly fell unconscious and—"

"Cut it out!" he snarled. "There is an intruder you say…" he trailed off. "Does this intruder happen to be yourself?" He asked in sickeningly calm voice.

Her eyes widened. She was busted, for real. There was not much she could do now. She closed her eyes and tried to think calmly. Biting her lip, she remembered, this wouldn't be the first time she risked her life for a friend. She was a Konoha konoichi.

"Answer me you scum!" he dug in her back, before a wave of pain cut through his body as she sent her chakra through him.

It was her chance. He would be momentarily immobilized. She immediately jumped off the floor and assumed her stance. He was within range it was close. But as she was about to move, her body didn't respond. She froze in place.

Her eyes widened in horror. The man was still in front of her. He was still trying to stand.

"Look here! Have you forgotten about me?" a different voice said startling her from her daze and her eyes found him, the other man.

_That hand seal! It can't be._ Her eyes fixed on him. She thought she was seeing things. Maybe she was dreaming. After a moment, she found the courage and looked down to her feet, and that confirmed it. The jutsu the Nara clan was known for. The jutsu she had seen Shikamaru use on numerous occasions.

"Kagemane no Jutsu, you must be familiar with this no? Hyuuga!" as if reading her mind he said.

"What? Did this guy come to save him?" the other guy was finally on his feet rubbing his shoulder. "What should we do with him? Kill him?" he added.

"No idiot, the Byakugan is valuable too and has its own price. We should keep it, but first…" he didn't finish his sentence, but a strong pain all over her body did. Stings of shadows looped around her so tightly; she couldn't hold Henge no jutsu any longer as they dug in her skin.

"So, a girl after all" the Nara man smirked when her recognized her figure.

She could feel her bones about to break. The idea horrified her. He wanted to impede her by breaking her bones. Tears escaped her eyes and pain clouded her thoughts.

_This is the end… _she thought. She closed her eyes and tried to escape with her mind.

'_I told you, didn't I? If you don't control your chakras the pain won't stop. Try to feel them Hinata. You feel the pain because they are stimulated to different extents. Usually they are always in balance in your case since you are a Hyuuga. Try to feel them and reverse the imbalance. If you can feel them individually, you can use them individually. When you are able to do that you will be able to reverse the effect of __your enemy's Chakra when under genjustu or even control their chakras trapping them in your own genjustu and control their ninjutsu. Do you understand?' _

She distinctly remembered Hikari lecturing her after she lost consciousness in that training ring thing.

She had done this before, but now he was far from her not to mention she was in pain. She tried to focus her Byakugan but her bleary vision and pain made it all the more difficult to concentrate.

_I could do it before. I can do it now! _She told herself.

_Crown Chakra… Brow Chakra… Throat Chakra_… one by one she sent surges of energy using the shadow as a medium, diminishing their activity.

"What are you getting at? You—" His voice disappeared. His smirked fell for a shocked expression to take place. His hands found their way to his sides as he fell to the ground.

"You think you will get away with this," screamed his partner. Horrified by what happened. He launched at her.

Blood splattered from her mouth and she put her arm around her stomach protectively. He landed another kick sending her flying to the tree behind her. She swore she heard a crunching sound. She found her feet, but he didn't leave her a chance. Strong pain attacked her jaw and she found herself on the ground again. This time though, she rolled in time preventing his foot from connecting with her skull. Pumping chakra to her feet she jumped and assumed her stance quickly.

_This will end here… Hakke Rokujūyon Shō…_

* * *

><p>He was still thrown on a chair just like she had seen him first with her Byakugan. She limped toward him with a remorseful expression as she looked at him, then averted her eyes and put his arm around her shoulder. She grimaced. Her ribs screamed in pain, but she bit her lip and balanced him on her back. She walked slowly and had to put him down every now and then. She wished she could reverse her jutsu that moment. Her movements came to a halt at the noise of numerous feet above her head. She dragged him up the flight. Taking a deep breath, she carried him on her back. She did not anticipate his heavy weight she coughed; the pain in her ribs was intense and his weight was crushing her lungs adding more difficulty. She could taste her own blood since she had already dug her teeth in her lip. She balanced him one more time, trying to find a suitable position and ran as fast as her feet could take her leaving the estate.<p>

They were following however and very quickly gaining distance on her. Not to mention, her hideout was on the other side in the north, but she kept running. She had a life to save. Pumping chakra to her feet she sped up and took a right turn hiding between the thick branches and green leaves of the forest to confuse them.

This was horrible. She was injured and drained, carrying a man twice her weight and running from a hundred ninjas. She had already stopped and leaned against a tree trying to catch her breath. They were approaching and she had to move soon. She shook her head and slapped her cheeks trying to energize herself a little. She was at loss. Not knowing what to do, she covered her face and fell to her knees.

"Who are you?" his hoarse voice startled her. Her lips trembled and she slowly turned her head to see him sitting against the tree staring back at her. His eyes were…_scary_. His expression was unreadable, as if she was staring into the depth of an ocean. She was frozen that moment. She didn't realize he gained consciousness.

"You are the one who sabotaged my mission the last time" it wasn't a question. She remained silent. He didn't press further but looked around before he spoke,

"They are following us… let's go" He closed his eyes and tired to rise on his feet. His weakened body made him use the tree behind him for support. Seeing this Hinata's arms found themselves around his shoulders, helping him stand. He didn't protest and leaned against her for an instant before finding his balance. They leapt away from the ninjas. A small smile graced her lips and relief washed over her when she saw the distance between them and the ninjas grew wider.

The early morning air was silent, save for the cheerful chirps of morning birds. The sun cast its light on the green leaves of the forest giving them an amber undertone. In any other day the atmosphere would have been excellent for relaxing or meditation. The sereneness had not however, reached the young girl. She was counting the minutes as she felt her body burn with heat and cold. She felt very nervous and a bad feeling in the back of her mind nagged at her. He, Uchiha Sasuke, hadn't said anything to her or even looked behind since they escaped.

Hinata pondered in her mind all the possibilities of this situation. She initially thought they were heading to Konoha. This possibility died when they headed in the opposite direction. Not to mention, they were moving away from Hikari's hideout in a steady pace. The idea of leaving him and running back home crossed her mind, but something though, something that was as strong as the force of gravity kept her there. She called herself

And they finally came to a stop. It was a small clearing. The tall trees concealed them. It felt suffocating. He stood there for a moment his back to her. His shoulders where slumped, but she could still see he was breathing fast. She was startled when he turned to face her. He didn't say anything at first, just stood there staring at her with a blank face. His face hardened and he spoke,

"You sabotaged my mission, deactivated my Sharingan and almost got me killed" He listed. His eyes narrowed at her, pinning her to the ground with just his eyes. She had nothing.

"Then you saved my life" He added then, his face turning skeptical. "Who are you and what do you want?"

Hinata opened her mouth to answer then closed it. She looked away. She had nothing to say. What could she say? If she told him, would he save her? Would he bring her home or Would he hand her over to justice? She wanted to shake her head at this thought, she was a victim not a criminal. What about Hikari, the Hyuuga and everything else. Her thoughts resembled a tangled mess of yarn.

"I cannot tell you," she finally said.

His eyes widened slightly at the feminine voice. He had not expected this since she wore a very loose cloak and a hood.

His brows furrowed and his face turned into a scowl.

"You know who I am don't you? What did you do to my Sharingan?" He hissed.

"Nothing"

"Then why can't I use it anymore?" He shouted.

"It will come back eventually"

"How long?"

"Few more hours" she was surprised she hadn't stuttered when her heart was about jump out of her chest.

He gave her a skeptical look and turned his back to her. He walked away before he stopped and turned to her again.

"Come with me" he hissed. It was clearly an order.

Hinata cursed herself silently for her cowardliness, since her feet followed him against her will. This man had a heavy aura around him that screamed danger. She was afraid of him and he knew it. For a moment she felt nauseous as she looked at his back and her injuries hurt even more.

Hyuuga Hinata was a humble girl. Despite being born in a wealthy family, carrying an honorable name, she never looked down on anyone. She could always see the good in them before anything. She was kind and humble. No one however lived with only good in their hearts. Even Hinata, had a dark side, feelings she suppressed, never letting them out. She tried to ignore them, pretend they didn't exist. Her attempts, however, were futile.

Hinata's mortal sin was envy. She was always, envious of the other girls. Their beauty, confidence, intelligence, decisiveness, always made her mad inside. She would look at them with envy and even jealousy wishing she could be like the others. Her good side then would torment her fueling her self-hate. And so, Hinata always saw the best of the others and the worst of herself.

In the current situation, Hinata envied Sakura. She wished she could be like the medic. Then, she would be able to face Sasuke and ask him all the questions that accumulated in her mind. If she had been like Sakura, she wouldn't follow him like this, not questioning him and swimming in confusion.

It was nearing noon. The two of them were still walking. Sasuke has gotten faster as he started to regain feeling in his limbs. Hinata was following him, leaving five meters distance between them. She was growing nervous by the minute and his silence was not helping.

"How did you do it?" He suddenly said. Hinata had almost walked into him when he abruptly stopped.

"Do what?" she said not looking up.

"How did you put me into that state? It wasn't a genjutsu" He said.

"I…I…" she couldn't answer. She could feel his patience wearing thin. However, what could she possibly tell him? That she trained in the hidden secrets of the Byakugan.

"For the last time, who are you?" He raised his voice this time.

"I can't say," she told him looking at her feet. The ringing sound of laughter startled her. She looked up, eyes wide. Then she almost assumed Jukken stance. He was there, the perfect presentation of a mad man. He stopped suddenly.

"I know who you are" he said slowly. "You are Konoha's scum" he added.

Hinata's eyes widened. _What? Didn't Naruto-kun bring him back? Don't tell me, he is still a missing-nin._ He seemed to notice her reaction since he smirked.

"The whole mission was a scam. So, what was your purpose? Disabling me than capturing then freeing me?" he said, watching her for a reaction.

"W-what? No!" Hinata said desperately. She unconsciously took a step back.

"There is no use lying now. I already figured you out" He said and took a step toward her.

"That's not true!"

He remained silent then, staring at her. Hinata could feel her palms sweat. Her ears started to buzz. She didn't dare look away. And in a flash he disappeared. It took only a moment before Hinata felt the back of her head hit the ground. She coughed trying to gasp for air but his hand on her neck obstructed her windpipe. She opened her eyes slowly only to find herself staring at red irises. She could feel his chakra seeping through her system and instantly, she found herself in an unknown realm.

Everything was red, the grass, the sky and even the water. She looked around her horrified.

"This is called Tsukuyomi. You're in great honor to be experiencing it" she heard him say. Hinata looked desperately for him of it but she couldn't see or sense him. She attempted to activate her Byakugan only to clutch her head in pain.

"Don't bother. This is my world. Where I control everything" She heard him say.

She tried to remind herself that this was only a genjutsu.

_Tsukuyomi?_ She thought, the name did definitely ring bells.

'_It's a genjustu that the only ones that could cast are the Uchihas. It is an ability of the Mangekyo Sharingan, known to destroy the victim mentally by altering their time perception and torturing them for what seems like years or centuries to the victim'. _

'_But sensei, how do you escape it?'_

' _It's something you cannot break free from. I just hope you never ever have to'_

She remembered her sensei Kurenai say.

What could she do now? Her headache only intensified. It was as if a hammer was hitting her skull endlessly.

"Now will you tell me who you are? Or do you prefer to suffer this for days?" he said.

'_If you don't start changing the way you think, you will never become strong. Do want this Hinata? To be in this state for hours and hours?' _

"What did you say?" he said and she could actually feel him smirk.

'_It seems I have been mistaken. You are weak. You will never survive this. Just give up!'_

"You will never break free from this. Give up any chance of that. So, the only way for you to survive this is to answer my question" He said.

'_You will never change! You're always feeling sorry for yourself. You will stay like this forever'_

"No!" She exclaimed.

"Fine," as he said it the headache stopped and immediately, high-pitched sound drilled through her head. She could almost feel her ears bleed.

Hinata not bearing it anymore screamed in pain.

'_You think you can do this? Are you sure you want this suffering? This could go on all day you know? Do it!'_

"Answer me!" he demanded once more.

Hinata bit her lip hard. Clutching her head.

"Shut up!" She said weakly. "Show yourself you coward!" she panted.

The sound of water caught her attention and she opened her eyes slowly. It was dark but she squinted her eyes trying to see. A figure slowly emerged from a water, she hadn't seen before. It was Sasuke. He floated over the water, looking at her with cold eyes. In her eyes Hinatat, he was looking down at her, just like the rest of them. He thought he was better than her, just like everybody else. At any other time, she would have been intimidated, but this time, Hinata stared back at him, she glared at him. She ignored the intense pain she felt and tired once more to use her chakras. Trying to concentrate, Hikari's words found her,

'…_When you are able to do that you will be able to reverse the effect of your enemy's Chakra when under genjustu or even control their chakras trapping them in your own genjustu and control their ninjutsu…'_

She could feel it then, her crown chakra. She could even see the purple hue. She closed her eyes and concentrated her thoughts and energy in her crown chakra. When she opened her eyes, she was looking through him. He was not standing over a lake any more. He didn't have an impassive cold expression anymore. She was looking at the real him. She saw his eyes widen in shock and everything around them shattered like glass.

She found herself on the ground again, staring back at his red irises in the real world. She immediately activated her Byakugan and pressed the point between his brows with her thumb. She was panting heavily and in pain and she couldn't move, but she was relieved, she was proud.

His face froze and then he let go and screamed, his eyes searching and unfocused. The Sharingan was nowhere to see.

"What did you do to me?" He shouted at her.

"I blinded you" She said in a tone that was foreign to her, in a voice that was ruthless.

* * *

><p>It had been a long while since she visited them both. She often brought a bottle of Sake and Green tea Mochi. These were their favorite foods after all.<p>

It was a risky trip to visit Mirai and Hana. They resided just outside the borders of Konoha a few miles away from the main gate. Trees surrounded the area providing them with an air of privacy, hiding their presence, their existence.

She carried the drink and the Mochi in a small bag strapped around her shoulder. She couldn't wait to see them. They after all had no other visitors usually. They had been forgotten for years. There was only this one person who remembered, the one person who cared, and that was Hikari.

"Hello… Long time no see. How are you feeling today? Mom? Hana? The weather is nice today after all" She smiled and stood there for a while the wind played with her hair and she could see the grass dancing to it. The sky was clear, not a cloud in sight. It was the perfect day to visit them. She had things to talk about with them.

She sat on the grass beside the gravestone and poured a little Sake in two bowls and placed them there along with a small plate of Mochi. She sat there for a while in silence. The atmosphere was serene and time felt endless. Then again, it made her remember. Her brows furrowed and she sighed deeply trying to fight the heavy feeling in her chest.

"I took Hinata with me, Hana" she finally said. Staring at the stone.

"You see, she grew up to be a beautiful young lady, just like you" she smiled and closed her eyes as if hearing the reply, or pretending, imagining what she would have said would she have been alive.

"I'm sorry. I was… cruel to her. She hates me now. I have taken her away from everything she loves. But, you see, I want her to be strong. I want to tell her about the truth, about what they did to you, what Hiashi did to you. You didn't deserve to die so soon, Hana. And Hinata is the only one suitable for this. She is the only Hyuuga who could carry such a burden; for she is kind and good at heart" she smiled bitterly and pinched the bridge of her nose as an suffocating feeling crept onto her and tears threatened to fall.

"I swear,…" her voice trembled. " …to you both, I will take your revenge. I will bring justice. The Hyuuga… They are cruel, have been so for as long as they have existed. I will cleanse the earth of their existence, for your sake and for their own sake"

She stood up bowed and headed to her next destination securing a scroll under her coat.

* * *

><p>The light of the day already diminished to the point where it was too hard to see for the average person, when she arrived at her destination. The walls surrounding they were at least five meters high and inside another wall of tall trees curtained the place. From outside, the place looked as if it was placed there randomly, sitting there in the middle of the forest.<p>

"Identify yourself!" The guard at the gate asked.

"My name is non of your business" She replied looking down at the man.

"Then I will ask you to kindly leave this place ma'am"

"I am here to meet Lord Watanabe"

"I can't let you in until—"

"He is expecting me" she cut him off.

He frowned and eyed her up and down. He wrinkled his nose and said,

"This is not how it works here. I'm deeply sorry".

Hikari's patience was wearing thin.

"Just tell them the Hyuuga is here. He will know who I am" She glared at him with activated Byakugan.

That was ought to do it since, her eyes apparently scared the man. He ran immediately to announce her arrival. She waited for a few minutes. He came back bowing down apologetically.

"T-the Lord is waiting for you. This way please" he stuttered.

He escorted her inside while his startled partner took his place at the gate.

Inside, the place was even more overwhelming than outside. The front entrance was spacious. A small artificial lake welcomed the visitors where three fishes swam peacefully. The place was something beautiful to look at. Hikari however grimaced at the sight. The house, which could be easily a grand palace had elaborately decorated windows that she couldn't count and the walls were covered in carved wood.

She made her way to the house, not paying much attention to the guard who was escorting her nor to her surroundings. He accompanied her inside and led her through few corridors until they reached a wide paper door painted with pictures of Chinese dragons in a colorful fashion. The guard opened the door and asked for permission.

"Please come in" he said politely.

She nodded and entered the room. The room itself was empty, save for a lone vas standing near the window where she saw him. He was an old man in his sixties. His back was to her but she could see he was making tea. He turned to her slightly and raised his eyebrows in acknowledgement and waved to the guard who got the message and hurried out closing the door behind him.

"Please sit down" he gestured to her. She complied sitting in front of him.

"Tea?" He asked.

"No, thank you" she said.

"So, what brings you here?" He said pouring some for himself.

"You know why I am here. I got the deed," she said. His movement stopped for a moment but he didn't look at her. He the smiled, raising the cup to his nose.

"Oh?" He said. "Thank you. You can leave it here and I will send for you when you are needed again" He said as he inhaled deeply the aroma of his tea.

"What is Uchiha Sasuke's involvement in this whole thing?" She asked.

His stopped for a second. His grip on the cup tightened and he raised head and looked at her. His expression was ambiguous. He waved his hand in a dismissive gesture and resumed his work.

"That is nothing you should concern yourself about" He said.

She narrowed her eyes and waited for him to continue. He didn't. She sighed and spoke,

"Apparently, the whole stolen deed mission was a scam. I will ask you one question if you don't mind" she said in a sarcastic tone. He met her eyes this time frowning, daring her to say more.

"Was this your scheme? To capture of the last Uchiha? What do you need him for?" she asked. Her face was calm but she was anything but.

"Thank you for your services. I will call the guard to escort you out" he dismissed her. At this Hikari couldn't help but grimace. She rose to her feet leaving the scroll on the pillow where she sat and found her way out.

These were dangerous grounds she had pulled Hinata into, the girl who had a pathologically strong conscience. She definitely had gone out to rescue him by now. Hikari scowled as she strode out of the estate. She ran a hand through her short back hair and pulled on it slightly.

_What happened to that girl? I shouldn't have left her to go._

She was anxious and very worried, but that didn't prevent her from sensing the killing intent directed to her. She halted her movement and activated her Byakugan.

_Seven_.. She counted them hiding up the trees around her like a group of monckies. She didn't have time for this.

"What do you want?" She said through gritted teeth.

"You don't need to know" One of the men said as he landed in front of her. He was very tall. Her eye level paralleled with his shoulder. She stared hat his shoulder as she talked to him.

"This answer unfortunately won't suffice" she said.

"Well then, if I said you will die today would this answer satisfy you?" He answered haughtily. She didn't say anything but only stared into the distance, which irked him.

"Look up when I talk to you!" He shouted as he launched at her. His fist connected with air. Confused, he searched around only to have his whole body freeze.

A long blade wrapped around his whole body piercing his skin, drawing blood. He didn't dare move. The expression on his face was comical. He looked horrified.

"Firstly, I only look down at the likes of you" She said her arms holding the handle of the blade. She tightened her grip a little slashing his flesh a little more. He bit his lips to stop himself from screaming in pain.

"Secondly, when I ask you a question…"She smirked. "I expect a correct answer. Now, for the second and last time I will ask you, what. do. you. want?" she said.

"It seems you know a little bit too much" another man answered and landed in front of her with the other five.

"So, we have to kill you now" said another.

"Fine, let's dance" was her answer.

* * *

><p>Uchiha Sasuke was brave. He was fearless. This could be due to the fact that he had nothing to lose anymore after the demise of his clan. He still had one fear though; losing his eyesight, the Sharingan. It marked him, distinguished him. With it, he was nobody. So, when the little mouse surprised him by her attack after breaking free from his most esteemed genjutsu, He panicked, now that he suddenly lost his light.<p>

He couldn't think clearly. Rage consumed the last of his wits, and only one thought remained, if he wasn't going to see anymore, he was going to at least kill her.

He searched with his hands and they found their way to her throat. He used his whole weight to choke her.

"Reverse it!" He shouted. He looked at her general direction and put on the most intimidating scowl he could manage.

"L-listen… t-to… M-me" she tired to talk, but he had no ears to listen. The only voice he could hear, was the voice of roaring anger. She coughed and used her hands trying to pry him off. He was stronger however. He could feel her weak small hands on his, trying desperately to remove them. Her knees where weakly kicking his stomach. She squirmed under him. He felt powerful. His anger fueled him. It made him feel alive.

He didn't notice her movements getting weaker and weaker until they stopped. He did notice however the wetness on the sides of his hands, her tears. He stopped and got off her. She wasn't moving any longer. He couldn't sense her chakra anymore. Only then did he regain his composure. Now that the initial shock was over and he could think clearly again, he realized what he had done. He ran a hand through his hair and one thought crossed his mind.

_What the hell did I do?_

* * *

><p><em>Here is my AN  
><em>

_Hi, I thank you for reading this chapter and apologize for the mistakes and such things. Honestly, I have been working on this chapter for the last three days. I tried to minimize my grammar and spelling mistakes as much as possible. I posted the first half of this chapter as chapter 8 then decided to continue writing it. This is by far my longest chapter almost 14 pages. So, sorry about that. I hope you like it and that it wasn't boring. Please leave a review and tell me what you think. It makes me happy and helps guide me in the right direction with the story. _

_I apologize for the people following this story for not updating in a long time. I finished my exams a month ago then took a trip with my friend and just came back few days ago. I will be updating again in next few weeks. See you soon. _

_Pleease review … :'(_

_Special thanks to you... sorry for not replying individually but I have been busy lately. _

_**Saki-Hime **_

_**Uchiha Haruna**_

_**1111010101..delete…100? (sorry your name is too long)**_

_**AoNoExorcist-Naruto**_

_**Trich**_

_**Veraozao**_

_**Toriah**_

_**Kamoki-Hygerioshi**_

_**Burning desires untouched**_

_**Dumdeedum**_

_**miaandB**_

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_**Me**_

_**Syd monster 12**_

_**Uchiha Miyoki-chan**_

_**Keikinsha**_

_**Don'tPutInTheTea317**_

_**Luckyclover15**_

_**DF-Chan**_


	9. Chapter 9

**_Here you go two years later :S please read and review:_**

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 9<strong>

The sky was way too dark for a summer evening. Why though? Was they sky also crying for him? Was that why she had been dressed in black? Confused, she squinted, maybe she could see the gates in the sky, the one that welcomed the dead, or so she had been told. Try as she might though, she could only see the clouds. No angels roamed the vast gray plane far above.

Her little ears picked small sounds the man standing next to her was making. She looked up at him. Even in her large eyes that were yet to see war, loss, blood and destruction, the way his face looked made her heart ache. She lifted her small hand to meet his large calloused palm placing there. It was unusually cold. It didn't have the warmth she had been used too. It didn't respond the way it had always done. It didn't hold her hand in its safety.

"Don't cry Dad" She said trying to comfort him.

As if he had just remembered her presence. He met her eye and gave her a smile that didn't somehow to her eyes seemed wrong. His hand engulfed hers. She smiled brilliantly at him, but he wasn't looking at her anymore. She pouted and inched closer as if she was afraid he might leave her and never come back. He felt so far away. This was the first funeral she attended, but it wouldn't be the last, though that day, she hadn't known.

Her cousin was in his mother's arms, sobbing while she held him tightly. Everyone around her was wore black. They all looked sad it made her sad too.

Her mother had told her that when people died they would never come back.

"_But why?"_ she had asked.

"_Because they go to a better place where everyone they loved is. Everyone they couldn't see for a long long time would be there"_

"_How do you get there?"_

"_The angels take you up to the sky" _Smiling softly.

"_Wow" _she had stared at her mother in awe.

It had amazed her how people could just leave anytime they wanted with beautiful angels to see everyone they had cared about.

She couldn't understand why everyone cried. Why this was a sad day. Why her father suddenly stopped loving her. Why Neji's mother was giving her a scary look.

She understood none of it. She couldn't at that age. So small and young she was.

Had she known, maybe she would have been ashamed of how she couldn't cry with everyone. How she couldn't be sad as well.

* * *

><p>When she stood across the flowers that surrounded her mother's picture years later. She understood a little bit more. She was ironically in her father's shoes. Clutching her little sister's hand, silently crying.<p>

It was different this time though. Her father was not there. The woman who was dead had not been his wife. In her mind, Hinata felt betrayed. She knew she didn't have the right to, but she felt that way nonetheless.

She hadn't had the right to bring Hanabi with her either. This woman who was now dead was not her mother, but she couldn't do this alone and she had no one.

She glanced at the little girl beside her and saw herself, years ago, when she had worn a similar confused expression with eyes wide and glossy accepting the world they saw objectively. Children were genuinely curious, innocent and untainted.

She was also a child though. She didn't feel like one. She hadn't felt like one for a long time.

She didn't dare look up at the sky like she had done years ago, but if she did she would see that it was unusually bright for an autumn evening. Bright and sunny, the sky was not crying with her today.

Today, she would have to do all the crying.

* * *

><p>He has been her solace. Ever since the first day she saw him. He too was alone, just like her, but unlike her he always seemed happy. He was brave. She wasn't. He was optimistic. She was cynical. He had dreams. She had nightmares. He exceeded expectations while she never really lived up to them.<p>

She hated herself, but what could she do? She was stuck with this self until the day she died. So, she bled her hands in training over and over again. Maybe, she could forget then, how weak she was. Maybe, she could become strong then, just like him.

But he continued to grow, to get stronger, to make more friends and smile more along the years that she lost hope of ever catching up.

Somewhere along the line she started living through him. His goals were hers now. His dreams, his achievements, his happiness.

He has become her sun. He whole life. The only reason she breathed.

* * *

><p>Sasuke liked to believe he that he was not an emotional broken soul. He liked to believe he was a rational man and not a mindless killer, he liked to think that he always kept his cool and never acted on impulse. He knew of course that this was all bullshit. He was as emotional as they came. He was an Uchiha after all. It was in his blood. It bothered him greatly. It was one of those things he wished he could get rid of.<p>

His finger tips descended on her neck, softly tracing the outline of the muscles in his trying to find a certain notch. His hand stayed there for few seconds before reality dawned on him. It was hard to tell when his own heart was beating so strongly and his hands shaking, but surely even if her carotid pulsated, that pulse would have been too weak to sustain her life.

In his mind's eye, images of a grey haired man flew threw his head and as if struck by lightning, he placed a hand on her chest and traced her torso trying to find the spot where her sternum was when he was certain to a degree he placed his hand over the one on her chest and used his body weight to revive her heart. Assuming the rhythm he remembered Kabuto recommend in another lifetime, he started counting.

_Ten..one..two..three.._

"_remember Sasuke-kun, it takes only four minutes to damage the brain irreparably when it's cut off blood and air"_

Thirty compressions later,with a hand on her the other under her head, he tilted her head and then hesitated. He knew it was childish, but it made him uncomfortable to put his mouth on hers. So he covered her mouth and blew through her nose.

_Once.. twice. _

He couldn't tell if his breath reached her lungs in the darkness that surrounded him. He couldn't dwell on that though, at least he was trying.

He lost sense of time as he tried and tried. He couldn't give up, not yet anyway.

"_I don't quit and I don't give up"_ He told himself.

A bitter smile formed on his face as he counted, because that sounded eerily familiar. _Like Naruto_, his mind supplied. His rhythm slowed until it gradually stopped. He was not Naruto. They had nothing in common. Naruto was the light and he was the darkness. This girl was unfortunate, he decided, and so was he. He probably would never see again.

Running a hand through his disheveled hair, he contemplated his situation and snorted. Well, what did he have to lose? He could take a leaf from Naruto's book this time.

He resumed his rhythm with vigor and purpose, he kept going until his sensitive ears picked the choking sounds of woman lying on the ground.

Removing his hands as if burnt, he quickly bent down to feel her breath on his cheek. He was only rewarded with gasps and violent choking spraying his face with spit. He cursed under his breath, bringing his sleeve up to wipe his face, all the while sighing in relief. He could feel his muscles relax as the tension dropped when he felt her stir.

* * *

><p>Opening her eyes, she stared at a clear sky. The black edges of her vision slowly muffled sounds surrounding her started to get louder and louder until she could hear the chirping birds. She could also feel her cold limbs fill with blood until they became painfully warm. She couldn't breath though. She tried heaving her chest, ushering the air into her lungs. But her throat tickled at first then the sharp stabbing pain strangled her. She coughed willing whatever was that had clogged her airways out.<p>

A hand on her chest felt so heavy, so uncomfortable. She flailed her arms and tried to get up. Only to be held to the ground. She could feel pebbles stabbing her lower back. The dampness of the soil seeping through her clothes.

"Stop moving around damn it!" a harsh voice called out.

She couldn't remember anything. She was confused. She searched her mind trying to find this face in its archives.

Shaggy black hair, Pale skin, who was this? Who had she ended up here? And then, it started to come back to her, the memories. With her confusion clearing up her attempts to get away from him got more aggressive. He was emitting a killing intent that made her seriously fear for her life. She couldn't die yet. She had no one she wanted to see on the other side. At least no one who she believed had loved her.

A sharp pain shot through the right side of her face shortly after the heat came radiating and pulsating through her face.

He had slapped her.

"I swear, if you don't stop moving I'm going to kill you" He simply told her.

At least the unadulterated hatred he directed towards her had been sincere. He hadn't tried to hide it. He hadn't tried to lie.

She appreciated that. She didn't want anymore lies in her life. She had had enough of them already.

If she had to die today, better be an honest person than a liar.

So when she stared at her face she didn't flinch. She met his eyes surrendering as she knew she had ran out of tricks and chakra.

He didn't meet her eyes though. His eyes looked lost and searching. _Blind_.

What should she do now?

Should she give him his eyes back and die by his hands or should she leave him blind and die by his hands.

No matter how much she would have liked to believe she knew that this boy, blind or seeing was no one she could battle in her current state, weakened, tired and lost.

Her thoughts were cut by his cold voice, "What did you do to me?" He didn't shout it, but might as well have, his malice clear with each syllable, threatening.

She could feel her hands shaking. She cursed herself for being weak. Even now that she accepted death, deep down she was afraid. Deep down, she hoped somebody would come and save her. Somebody blonde and strong.

Her face contoured with disgust. How could she think this now of all times? Hadn't she promised herself to become strong? A worthy Shinobi?

She could feel her eyes water, her mouth dry.

"It.. It's a technique that blocks chakra to your eyes" She couldn't recognize her voice.

With a gust of bravery she dared look at his face again. His brows drawn together, his lips thin, his eyes vacant, she wondered what he was thinking, until his lips moved,

"Fix it" He said looking at her general direction.

Should she lie? She should she tell him she couldn't? Should she bring him to Hikari and maybe on the way she would muster up some strength to fight him and escape.

She contemplated. This was Naruto's friend, the one person he cared the most about. There was no question about it. No matter how much she would've liked to believe otherwise, Naruto's team always came before everything. They were his family.

So, she decided. She had nothing to lose but her life. And her life was not worth much anyway.

This resolve calmed her. She wasn't shaking anymore. She tried to get up, but his arms were still holding her in place, pinning her to the ground.

"Please, I have to use my arms" She said in the small mousy voice she hated all her life.

His grip on her loosened, be he didn't let go. Though, she could finally sit up.

Cursing silently, she clutched her head trying stabilize the world spinning around her. She could feel her swollen face so warm it felt scorching.

Ignoring the pain she felt she lifted her hand pressing her fingers to the point between his eyes. His skin felt cold and sweaty under her skin. She shut her eyes a little bit too harshly making her head ache even more, but this pain was nothing compared to the one she anticipated.

Had he not recognized the gesture, his reflexes would have prevented her from touching him.

Pouring her soul into her technique she felt the salty metallic taste coat the cavern of her mouth as her teeth sunk into her tongue.

Letting a breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding she stared at him, her hand retreating to her side.

Opening her eyes, she looked at him inspecting her handiwork. At first he shut his eyes abruptly. Then, he slowly opened them squinting at the light they had been oblivious to earlier.

His eyes connected to hers in a weird expression she didn't remember ever seeing on his face. He didn't move. Instead, he sat there staring at her, his brows furrowed.

"You're from Konoha" Was all he said.

* * *

><p><strong>AN:**

_**If you dislike something please also let me know. I appreciate your opinions no matter how harsh and unforgiving they are :P So feel free to review, good or bad. I want to hear what you think :D Leaving a review truly motivates me to write. I really need to know where I stand and what I should improve. Thaaank you so much for being kind enough and sticking around this long. **_

So, this is the ninth chapter. It was sitting in my computer half written since last year. I'm graduating this year and it's been tough.

I hope you like this chapter and that you enjoy this story. As you can see, Sasuke knows how to perform CPR. I hope you learned from him ;) In Hungary we are taught the nose to mouth method and recently the protocol states that only chest compressions are necessary in case of adults. You give 100 chest compressions per minute rate, that is, thirty compressions per two ventilations. In case of children, you always start with five ventilations before you do the compressions and then follow the same protocol for adults.

Anyway, I decided this will be a sasuhina from now on. I will be updating a bit more regularly.

If you noticed I have revealed a little bit of the secret Hikari shared with Hinata. You will find out more in the future and I really hope that I kept the characters in character. I know I made Sasuke seem a bit weak earlier, my apologies. I've been reading the manga and so much has changed that I decided to just make this into an AU instead of making up half truth half lie. This will give me a much clearer idea about how I want to connect the war, the Hyūga's history and the other things. I also find it interesting that the mother of all ninja had the byakugan, it makes my interpretation a little bit more true to the manga :D

I know that Sasuke is being violent hitting her and all that. I just hope you bear with me. I haven't updated this story in almost two years. I have changed most of all as have my ideas and how I perceive the characters. If you find any discrepancy between this chapter and earlier ones, please let me know.


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